Simulated base for Mars gets 3D printed, applications for habitants open

The first simulated habitat designed for planet Mars’ surface has been 3D printed.

Named the Mars Dune Alpha, the prototype is located at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The creator, ICON, an advanced construction technology developer, was subcontracted by NASA for the project. The 1,700 square-foot structure was designed by world-renowned architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group.

It’s 3D printed because lugging a load of construction materials to space and building a house on Mars would be a bit of a pain in the proverbial.

The habitat was built to aid a sequence of three one-year Mars surface mission simulations, which aim to evaluate NASA’s space food growing system, plus health and performance outcomes for future missions.

Applications are open, so if you fancy living in Mars Dune Alpha with four others for a year, give NASA a bell. Participants of the trials, which start in late 2022, will face challenges like limited resources, equipment failure and communication delays. If Matt Damon can do it, so can you.

Designers gave the base varying ceiling heights and movable furniture to avoid spatial monotony and crew fatigue. It also has customizable lighting, temperature and sound control to regulate astronauts’ circadian rhythms.

Lockdown on Mars actually sounds more comfortable than lockdown on Earth!

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